Newsletter: Anniversary Pins, April Hotel Rooms and More

MISSISSIPPI ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS

Newsletter - March 4, 2022

Drs. Alford, Collins Presented With Special MAFP Anniversary Pins

MAFP President Dr. Carlos Latorre (left) presented two members with special anniversary lapel pins at an Academy event Feb. 24 in Greenville. Dr. Tim Alford of Kosciusko (center) was recognized for 35 years and Dr. Andrea Collins of Greenville (right) was recognized for 10 years of Academy membership and received pins indicating the number of years.

Hotel Room Reservations Available for

Spring Conference April 22-24

Hotel reservations are now available for the MAFP Spring Conference, which will be held April 22-24, 2022, at the Sheraton Refuge Hotel in Flowood, MS. The Sheraton Refuge Hotel features:

18-hole public golf course
in-house spa facilities
in-house dining at two restaurants, a lobby bar and a rooftop bar
sprawling pool and lazy river

Rates are $153 per night for our conference and reservations can be made in our room block using this link. Registration will open next week, so please watch your inbox for more details.

Dr. Andrea Collins, Greenville Supervisor Carl McGee

Dr. Evelyn Walker, Greenville Mayor Errick Simmons

MAFP President Dr. Carlos Latorre, Mayor Errick Simmons

MS Delta residents - Drs. Sonia Merchant, Susmita Chowdhury and Steven Anderson

Drs. Brent Zepponi, Tim Alford and Brent Smith

Drs. Rohith Guduru Venkata (resident), Eric Wilkerson (resident), and Andrew George with rural scholar Tyrikus Hayes.

Academy Grand Rounds in Greenville a Success

More than 65 members, family medicine residents and undergraduate rural scholars attended the MAFP's Grand Rounds in Greenville at the Downtown Grille on February 24 The reception and dinner featured Academy speakers and attendance by Greenville's Mayor Errick Simmons and Washington County Supervisor Carl McGee.

Welcome and introductions were made by MAFP President Dr. Carlos Latorre of Vicksburg. Mississippi Delta Family Medicine Residency Program Director, Dr. Evelyn Walker shared the progress of the program. MAFP Advocacy Chair, Dr. Katie Patterson and MAFP Workforce Chair Dr. Brent Smith updated members on the work of the MAFP. Dr. Lessa Phillips, faculty for the residency program, conducted a 1-hour continuing education session following dinner.

The event highlighted the new Greenville residency program while focusing on the benefits of a residency program to the local community. Also taking part were 28 undergraduate members of the Mississippi Rural Physicians Scholarship Program, who were visiting the Delta on a 2-day trip to see rural medicine firsthand. The Academy's next Grand Rounds event will be held in Meridian on March 31. Invitations were sent this week to members in District 3.

Academy Signs On to Letter Promoting HPV Vaccination for Mississippi's Kids

MAFP and six other flagship organizations issued a letter Friday, March 4, encouraging awareness of the HPV vaccine and its importance. The letter's message includes:

Extremely low Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates are a growing concern. For HPV-related cancers, Mississippi ranks 1st in the United States for oropharyngeal cancer mortality, and 3rd in the U.S. for cervical cancer mortality. It also ranks in the top ten states in incidence numbers for both of these cancers.

Despite wide vaccine availability, in 2020, Mississippi was ranked last in the U.S. for HPV vaccination among those age 13-17. Mississippi's rate of up-to-date vaccinations was 31% - very low compared with the 58% national rate of vaccination.

Today, MS health care providers, public health professionals and community stakeholders have partnered to address the low HPV vaccination rates in MS and protect children from disease and cancer. MAFP is part of the Mississippi HPV Roundtable.

Meridian Family Medicine Residency Program Learns About Tobacco Cessation

Today, March 4, MAFP Foundation's Jewell Buckley visited the ECHealthNet Family Medicine Residency Program in Meridian (pictured) and sponsored a luncheon and tobacco cessation presentation. Students in the Physician Assistant program also took part in the learning session.

Thanks to a grant from the Mississippi State Department of Health Office of Tobacco Control, MAFP Foundation provides education each year to family medicine residents to teach them how to counsel their patients about quitting smoking or other tobacco use. Dentist Dr. Karen Crews made the presentation to the doctors.

Nominate a Colleague for MAFP's Academy Awards by June 1

It's time to nominate a fellow family physician for the MAFP's annual awards, including Family Physician of the Year, Humanitarian Award, Military Award and New Physician of the Year. To nominate a member, please review the criteria for each award and complete the nomination form. The deadline for nominations is June 1 each year. Online Nominating Form - (only takes 2 minutes).

Do CME Hours Report Both Ways Between ABFM, AAFP?

When reporting CME hours for maintenance of certification and re-election purposes, physicians have asked us how to report their hours to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM). Here are two things family physicians should know:

AAFP sends all your reported CME hours to ABFM. You do not need to take any action for this to happen - just report your hours using one of the methods below.
ABFM does *not* report MOC hours to AAFP. However, it is easy for you to do it yourself. Just download your hours from ABFM's website and send the report to AAFP. Keep in mind your CME history on ABFM will only reflect your current stage.

Here's how to report your CME to AAFP:

Fax certificates of participation to 913-906-6075.
Call AAFP at 1-800-274-2237 during business hours
Report CME online
E-mail AAFP at aafp@aafp.org

Sandestin Hotel Block Open

It's time to reserve your hotel rooms and condos for the MAFP's 2022 Annual Scientific Assembly in Sandestin, FL. The event will be July 16-20 and the room block spans July 15 to July 21. Browse the available rooms and make your reservations online using this link. Make sure you change the dates at the top to your desired arrival and departure dates to see everything available.

Exhibitors and sponsors can browse available rooms using the vendor link.

Some of the larger rooms - Luau 2 BR, Luau 3 BR and Grand Sandestin Complex 3 BR - do not show on the link. You must call Sandestin at 1-800-320-8115 to reserve them.

FREE Controlled Substance CME Hours to Meet Your MSBML Requirements

Looking for your required 5 hours of education on controlled substances? Follow this link for FREE education hours. An account must be created in order to take the courses.

MACM Offers Free Courses to Insureds

Medical Assurance Company of Mississippi (MACM) offers a dozen free online courses at no cost to its insureds, including controlled substance training, which is required by the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure to maintain your license. MACM Medical Interactive CME

Physician Wellness: Make Yourself a Priority

In order to care for your patients, you must first care for yourself. That’s why we have created and curated tools and resources to help you stay passionate about your purpose: providing high-quality care. By addressing the causes of physician burnout, you can improve your well-being and professional satisfaction. Visit Physician Health Resources